What is the best paint finish for your hallway? Paint experts unanimously agree on which to go for and the one to avoid at all costs

Whether you’re thinking of giving your hallway a makeover or a new coat of paint, it’s important to know what paint finish to use to ensure your entryway looks stylish for as long as possible. All the paint experts I’ve asked agreed that eggshell paint is the best choice for a hallway.

While there isn’t necessarily anything special about your hallway walls compared to the rest of your home, the way that you use the space likely differs from how you use other rooms in the house. he reality is that hallway walls are prone to a lot of scuffing so the chosen hallway paint ideas should take that into account.

‘The hallway is a high traffic area – as well as hands up staircases and bannisters, bags and shoes will regularly knock against the walls and surfaces, so the paint used does need to be tough,’ says Sophie Smith of Zhoosh Paints.

‘It also needs to look good – this is the first part of the house anyone sees upon entering and you want the eyes to be drawn along it to the rooms ahead, while still appreciating it as a stylish and welcoming space. You therefore need to choose a paint that will work well from an aesthetic and practical point of view.’

Why is eggshell the best paint finish for hallways?

‘The best paint finish for a hallway is one that offers low shine, high durability, and a washable surface,’ says Michael Rolland, managing director at The Paint Shed. ‘An eggshell finish, which sits between satin and matte, can be an ideal choice.’

Generally speaking for the majority of the home, the best paint finish for walls and ceilings tends to be matt. So you might be wondering why that’s not the case for hallways, too.

‘Eggshell is more hardwearing and robust than matt, great for an area that needs regular cleaning where mucky feet have been knocked and greasy hands have been pressed. It also works if you are planning to colour drench - which means matching radiators and skirting boards to the wall colours - as tougher eggshell is ideal for all surfaces,’ Sophie Zhoosh Paints says.

What is the second best option?

But at the same time, if you’re a big fan of matt paint you can still use it in your hallway, as long as it’s a durable, hardwearing paint that’s also ideally a washable one to keep up with the knocks and scuffs often inflicted on hallway walls..

‘Hallways can be a challenging area to decorate as they are one of the busiest areas of a home and need to withstand the knocks and bumps of busy family life,’ says Ruth Mottershead, creative director at Little Greene. ‘Our Intelligent Matt Emulsion is designed to be robust, resisting the daily wear of modern life, so is perfect for hallways and high-traffic areas.'

Michael at The Paint Shed adds, ‘Durable matt emulsion paints are highly pigmented and excellent for high traffic areas; as their durable characteristics allow you to scrub or wipe the paint without compromising the colour or finish.’

What paint finish should you avoid in a hallway?

On the other hand, gloss paint finish should be avoided at all costs in a hallway as it shows imperfections way too easily. Also with the rise of matt paint’s popularity, gloss paints have been gradually decreasing in popularity in general and can look old-fashioned.

‘Avoid gloss finishes for hallways. Whilst gloss paints are perfect for areas such as cabinets, doors, and bannisters, they are not well suited to hallway walls,' Michael at The Paint Shed confirms.

'Gloss creates an overly shiny, reflective surface that highlights imperfections. In high-traffic areas like hallways, which are often filled with shoes, coats, and other everyday clutter, a finish such as matt or eggshell provides a more suitable, reliable and lower-maintenance option.'

Hallway paint top picks

Caroline Thornborough, design director of Thorndown, reiterates, ‘It’s essential that you use a high-performance durable paint that can withstand bangs and scrapes and having marks cleaned off, otherwise you’ll be forever repainting.’